Travel pillow

ABSTRACT

A foldable and spreadable pillow wherein duplicate padlike halfsections when folded and fastened together provide a pillow which is comparable in size and shape with individual headrests currently used on the backrests of automobile seats. These suitably cushioned half-sections have limited median portions of side-by-side edge portions stitched and thus hinged together. Outer marginal edges are provided with connectable snap fasteners which hold the half-sections folded. Median portions of one halfsection also have snap fasteners which permit said half-section to be manually folded and doubled upon itself and crammed and lodged in a limited holding space whenever available. Strap-Type handles are also provided.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Bernice l-lolmen Scheips 1011 E. St., Fairbury, Nebr. 68352 [21] App]. No. 869,460 [22] Filed Oct. 27, 1969 45 te se??? f" 1971, o.

[54} TRAVEL PILLOW 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

52 us. Cl 5/337,

5/341 [51] Int. Cl A47g 9/00 [50} Field of Search 5/337, 338, 341, 344, 352, 355, 361

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 679,915 8/1901 Rudolf 5/341 X 1,216,707 2/1917 Lawson 5/337 X 5? 81 23135525 11- My??? 1,447,288 3/1923 Emmerich 5/341 3,080,580 3/1963 Tobari 5/361 3,483,575 l2/l969 McCarthy 5/343 Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay Assistant Examiner-Peter A. Aschenbrenner Attorneys-Clarence A. O'Brien and Harvey B. Jacobson hold the half-sections folded. Median portions of one half-section also have snap fasteners which permit said half-section to be manually folded and doubled upon itself and crammed and lodged in a limited holding space whenever available. Strap- Type handles are also provided.

PATENTED SEPI 4|97l 35041325 SHEET 1 [IF 2 Bernice Holman Scheips Y @Mddiiw WWW fiMg PATENTEU SEP14I97I 3.6041026 SHEET 2 OF 2 Fig. 4

Bernice Halmen Scheips [NV/:NTUK.

WWW Em TRAVEL PILLOW The present invention relates to a pillow which is believed to be unique and desirable in that it is designed and adapted for diversified handling and use when the user, if traveling, on an airplane, train, bus or automobile, finds it desirable to provide himself with a convenient and comfortable headrest and which is deemed to be an innovation in that it is amply compact that it can be stored and carried in a briefcase, handbag or the like.

In carrying out a feasible and practical embodiment of the inventive concept the connected folding padlike half-sections are made of washable cotton velveteen, each half-section comprising a jacket or case of appropriate size, color and shape which is filled with foam flakes whereby to thus provide a highly sanitary pillow, one which is odorless, nonallergic and otherwise capable of achieving the end results desired.

FIG. 4 is a view based on FIG. 3 and showing spaced backrests of automobile or similar seats and showing, what is more significant, how the aforementioned folded half-section is forcibly lodged or crammed into the space shown and for purposes of positioning the then available half-section for headrest use.

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective similar to FIG. 2 and which corresponds therewith except that it shows a clutch-type strap Briefly, the improved pillow is characterized by a pair of substantially duplicate relatively small oriented and coordinating half-sections. Adjacent side-by-side marginal edges of these two half-sections have median portions only stitched or otherwise connected together and foldably hinged and adapted to be spread out end-to-end in a generally common plane for such use as is desired or, alternatively, folded atop each other to provide a doubled pillow whenever necessary or desired.

More specifically, centralized portions of the respective outward transverse marginal edges of the two half-sections are provided with quick connectable and separable snap fasteners. These snap fasteners are properly lined up with each other and can be temporarily secured together to maintain the two half-sections in cooperating folded relationship. Then, too, at least one of the half-sections is provided with attached male and female snap fasteners which permit said half-sections to be folded and doubled upon itself between its lengthwise edges in a manner to provide a positioning and retaining insert, that is, a component part of the overall pillow which can be suitably and retentively lodged and crammed into a limited space between edge portions of side-by-side vehicle backrests or, alternatively, manually forced into a stay-put position in an available corner space, for example a space between the seat and an adjacent wall surface. Accordingly, the then available projecting pad or half-section provides a satisfactory head cushioning rest.

Further and as will be hereinafter more fully appreciated the dual section travel pillow is provided in one form of the invention with a loop-type strap which provides a handle for positioning around the users wrist for handling and carrying. In addition a single strap-type alternate handle is provided atop one half-section and can be employed, in lieu of the looptype handle, as a clutch handle similar to that employed on certain styles of handbags.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forminga part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a travel pillow constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and with the half-sections spread out in a common plane and showing the folding or hinging connection and also the loop-type handle.

FIG. 2 is a view also in perspective on a slightly larger scale and showing the two half-sections folded in face-to-face of superimposed relationship and snapped together with the carrying handle projecting at a convenient angle for handling and carrying purposes.

FIG. 3 is also a view in perspective with a portion of the handle broken away and which shows one of the half-sections folded between its ends and upon itself with median edge portions snapped together to thus provide means for holding the pillow in an available pocketing recess.

used as the handle in lieu of the loop-type shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective which corresponds substantially to FIG. I but shows the type of handle or handgrip appearing in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken on the plane of the longitudinal section line 7-7 of FIG. 6 and which shows the makeup of each half-section and also how the end portions of the single strap handle are stitched, glued or otherwise fastened into place.

By way of introduction to the description of the details it is to be pointed out that the dual section pillow per se is one the same in all of the Figures. It is believed to be proper under the circumstances to refer to corresponding or like parts throughout all the views with like reference characters. Only the handles differ and will be designated individually.

To the ends desired and with reference in particular to FIGS. 1 and 6 it will be seen that the overall pillow when the parts are spread out in coplanar relationship appears to be substantially ovate in plan. Accordingly, the half-sections are semiovate. The half-section at the right in FIGS. 1 and 6 is denoted by the numeral 10 and the companion one at the left is denoted at 12. The half-section 10 is provided with a transverse marginal edge 14 and an opposed transverse marginal inner edge at 16. The longitudinal side marginal edges are denoted at 18. The corresponding marginal edges of the halfsection 12 are substantially the same but are conveniently designated as an outer transverse marginal edge 20, an inner transverse marginal edge 22 and longitudinal or side marginal edges 24.

It will be evident that the respective median portions only of the inward transverse marginal edges 16 and 22 are stitched or 1 otherwise connected together as at 26 to provide a folding and unfolding hinge 28. By leaving the edge portions to the right and left of the hinge free it will be evident that despite the fact that the half-sections are plump and made of cotton material they can be folded to assume the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 5'or the position and relationship shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention a median part of the marginal edge 14 is provided with an appropriately constructed and mounted snap fastener 30 which is alignable and separably connectable with a coordinating snap fastener 32 on the marginal edge 20. Thus, the half-sections can be folded as shown for example in FIGS. 2 and 5 with the snap fasteners 30 and 32 joined together. The median portions of the longitudinal edges 18 of the half-section 10 are provided with male and female snap fasteners 34 and 36 which are capable of being snapped together to produce the effect and result depicted in FIG. 3. Here it will be evident that the half-section 10 after it has been folded over and with the edge portions 18 available the snap fasteners 34 and 36 can be snapped together to thus reduce the size of the half-section and to adapt it to be forcibly crowded or crammed into an available pocketing space as shown for example in FIG. 4. In this Figure one backrest of an automobile or an equivalent vehicle seat is denoted at A and the other section at B. The adjacent spaced parallel edges C and D provide a convenient recess or pocket into which the doubled half-section 10 can be forcibly crowded and frictionally retained. With this half-section pocketed and held in a stay-put position it will be evident that the other and outer half-section is available to serve as a satisfactory headrest.

Each half-section is of the construction shown in FIG. 7 that is comprises a suitably shaped jacket 38 made of cotton velveteen and filled with appropriate compressibly resilient lightweight foam flakes or equivalent filler means 40.

It is within the purview of the invention to provide a looptype nylon or equivalent handle (FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive) or a single clutch-type as shown in FIGS. 5-7. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 for example a nylon strap 42 is looped upon itself between its ends to provide the loop-type handle 44, the end portions being glued and stitched into the seam 26 in the manner suggested at 46 in FIG. 1 for example.

If one prefers the clutch-type handle this can be provided in the manner shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 and denoted, generally stated, by the numeral 48. It comprises a nylon or equivalent flexible strap 50 with its end portions 52 suitably anchored in place and wherein the strap is of a length that it provides a fairly tight fitting clutch-type handle.

It will be evident that the loop handle 44 will be found convenient to slip over the wrist while the other type 48 provides a satisfactory handling and carrying clutch.

It will be evident that the pillow, generally stated, is characterized by substantially identical halves or half-sections connected only in the center and provided wit selectively usable snap fasteners whereby the half-sections may be folded into substantially parallel side-by-side relationship or oriented with one half-section substantially folded and at approximate right angles to the other half-section so that an adaptation is provided with adapts to be inserted in a recess between adjacent seats or in a comer space between a seat and a wall such as is usually available on a bus, airplane, automobile or the like.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A headrest-type pillow which lends itself to diversified use when travelling via an airplane, train, bus or in ones automobile and which is compact and convenient for out-of-use placement in a briefcase, handbag or the like comprising, a pair of like relatively small companion half-sections having median portions only of adjacent inward marginal edges hingedly connected together and adapted to spread out end-toend in a generally common plane for such use as desired, or alternatively, folded atop each other to provide a double pill'ow whenever necessary or desired, each half-section being characterized by inward and outward transverse marginal edges and opposite longitudinal marginal edges, the longitudinal marginal edges of at least one of said half-sections being provided with attached male and female snap fasteners and which serve to permit said one half-section to be folded and doubled upon itself and said median portions of said longitudinal marginal edge snapped together, whereby to provide means which is adapted to be inserted and retentively jammed in a suitable limited space between edge portions of side-byside vehicle brackets or manually rammed to stay put into an available corner between a seat and an adjacent wall surface.

2. The pillow defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein centralized portions of the respective outward transverse marginal edges are provided with quick connectable and separable male and female snap fasteners which when properly lined up with each other can be secured together to maintain said half-sections in their coacting folded relationship.

3. The pillow defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the overall pillow with the half-sections spread out in a common plane is substantially ovate and the individual halfsections are approximately semiovate in plan, each half-section comprising a jacket made of washable cotton velveteen, said jacket being filled with foam flakes and being odorless and nonallergic.

4. A headrest-type pillow which lends itself to diversified use when travelling via an airplane, train, bus or in ones automobile and which is compact and convenient for out-of-use placement in a briefcase, handbag or the like comprising, a pair of like relatively small companlon half-sections having median portions only of adjacent inward marginal edges hingedly connected together and adapted to spread out end-toend in a generally common plane for such use as desired, or alternatively, folded atop each other to provide a double pillow whenever necessary or desired, the centralized portions of the respective outward marginal edges being provided with quick connectable and separable snap fasteners, median portions of the opposed longitudinal marginal edges of one of said halfsections being provided with aligned coacting snap fasteners which serve to permit that half-section to be doubled upon itself and the edge portions snapped together, and strap means fashioned into and forming a handle, said strap means being operatively mounted on said pillow for carrying and handling needs.

5. The pillow defined in and according to claim 4, and wherein said strap means is fashioned into a loop, said loop being suitable and adapted to encircle a users wrist, whereby to facilitate convenient handling and carrying the pillow.

6. The pillow defined in and according to claim 4, and wherein said strap means comprises a single nylon strap of requisite length and proportionally narrow width, said strap being stretched across a median exterior surface of a cooperating half-section and having its respective ends permanently secured to predetermined marginal portions of said half-section cooperating in a manner to serve as a clutch-type handle. 

1. A headrest-type pillow which lends itself to diversified use when travelling via an airplane, train, bus or in one''s automobile and which is compact and convenient for out-of-use placement in a briefcase, handbag or the like comprising, a pair of like relatively small companion half-sections having median portions only of adjacent inward marginal edges hingeDly connected together and adapted to spread out end-to-end in a generally common plane for such use as desired, or alternatively, folded atop each other to provide a double pillow whenever necessary or desired, each half-section being characterized by inward and outward transverse marginal edges and opposite longitudinal marginal edges, the longitudinal marginal edges of at least one of said half-sections being provided with attached male and female snap fasteners and which serve to permit said one half-section to be folded and doubled upon itself and said median portions of said longitudinal marginal edge snapped together, whereby to provide means which is adapted to be inserted and retentively jammed in a suitable limited space between edge portions of side-by-side vehicle brackets or manually rammed to stay put into an available corner between a seat and an adjacent wall surface.
 2. The pillow defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein centralized portions of the respective outward transverse marginal edges are provided with quick connectable and separable male and female snap fasteners which when properly lined up with each other can be secured together to maintain said half-sections in their coacting folded relationship.
 3. The pillow defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the overall pillow with the half-sections spread out in a common plane is substantially ovate and the individual half-sections are approximately semiovate in plan, each half-section comprising a jacket made of washable cotton velveteen, said jacket being filled with foam flakes and being odorless and nonallergic.
 4. A headrest-type pillow which lends itself to diversified use when travelling via an airplane, train, bus or in one''s automobile and which is compact and convenient for out-of-use placement in a briefcase, handbag or the like comprising, a pair of like relatively small companion half-sections having median portions only of adjacent inward marginal edges hingedly connected together and adapted to spread out end-to-end in a generally common plane for such use as desired, or alternatively, folded atop each other to provide a double pillow whenever necessary or desired, the centralized portions of the respective outward marginal edges being provided with quick connectable and separable snap fasteners, median portions of the opposed longitudinal marginal edges of one of said half-sections being provided with aligned coacting snap fasteners which serve to permit that half-section to be doubled upon itself and the edge portions snapped together, and strap means fashioned into and forming a handle, said strap means being operatively mounted on said pillow for carrying and handling needs.
 5. The pillow defined in and according to claim 4, and wherein said strap means is fashioned into a loop, said loop being suitable and adapted to encircle a user''s wrist, whereby to facilitate convenient handling and carrying the pillow.
 6. The pillow defined in and according to claim 4, and wherein said strap means comprises a single nylon strap of requisite length and proportionally narrow width, said strap being stretched across a median exterior surface of a cooperating half-section and having its respective ends permanently secured to predetermined marginal portions of said half-section cooperating in a manner to serve as a clutch-type handle. 